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Bhalli Stonehand
' Bhalli Stonehand' was born In the northern Ered Luin (S. "Blue Mountains") in S.A. 2680. Named for Bhalli the Rash, his life parallels that of the Founder of Rûrîk, for in S.A. 2741 the young Dwarven Priest helped to refound the great Dwarven "Kingdom in the East," A great friend of Elves and Men and the spirit behind the successes of King Fulla VII Stonehand, the lean, handsome Conjurer helped unite and strengthen the Two Tribes of Druin and Malln. The story of Bhalli's early life is clouded, but he left the Blue Mountains as a youth, accompanying his friend, King Fulla of the House of Druin, on his epic thirty-year journey homeward from exile in the West. While Bhalli was of the Line of Malln North-king, his family was close to the Kings of Druin´s Folk and Bhalli and Fulla grew up together as fast compatriots.Bhalli tutored and counseled Fulla and their quests were the same; they hoped to find and resurrect Rurik. the land of their forefathers. Bhalli and Fulla arrived in Rurik in S.A. 2741. There, they found the besieged remnants of the Stonefoots, Bhalli's kinsmen, who were virtually imprisoned in a delving in the mountains of northern Rurik. The fearsome Demon Muar ruled Rurik and threatened their survival. Unfortunately, Muar duped Bhalli and Fulla into helping him gain entry into the Dwarf-hold and the Fire-demon slew scores of Naugrim and wounded Fulla. Bhalli, however, called upon Mahal and somehow miraculously slew the awful Firespirit. During the fight, a Magician under Muar's sway casted an incantation which turned Bhalli's right hand to stone. This unwelcome turn of events gave birth to the stoic Dwarf's nickname. After overcoming the Demon-Lord, Bhalli brought upon himself and his tribe a dreadful retribution. Captured by the Wild Men of Ralian, who served the Nazgul known as Khamul the Easterling, Bhalli refused to reveal the whereabouts of the secret entrance into the inaccessible Dwarf-realm of Rurik. The enraged Nazgul ordered dozens of Bhalli's Folk captured and killed before Bhalli's eyes. Yet Bhalli would not betray his people. The Easterling roared with ire, and called upon his legion of Assassins to go out across Middle-earth (even to the West) and kill everyone who had offered even a piece of bread and a cup of cold water to the selfless Dwarf. Each assassin, or "Slayer" was told to cry "In the name of Bhalli!" as he murdered his victim and Bhalli bore witness to every Slayer's departure. Still the Dwarf refused to speak. Then Khamul ordered that Bhalli's ancestors be disturbed and their tombs desecrated. Still Bhalli would not talk. In the end the tree planted beneath Bhalli's throne-trap eventually impaled the Dwarf, providing an agonizing end to his once-triumphant life (and offering a sight of rare amusement to Khamul). The lesson of Bhalli's long and important life is clear: that selflessness, like selfishness, has its limits. The proud and fierce Dwarves of Rurik had a saying regarding the merit of futile gestures; "costly as the silence of Bhalli." A great cost, indeed. Companions On his Campaign against Múar: *Darien (about SA 2680) *Fulla Stonehand (about SA 2680) *Jax (about SA 2680) References *MERP:Lords of Middle-earth Vol III: Hobbits, Dwarves, Ents, Orcs & Trolls *MERP:Mirkwood - The Wilds of Rhovanion *MERP:Northern Mirkwood *MERP:Northwestern Middle-earth Campaign Atlas *MERP:Northwestern Middle-earth Gazetteer *MERP:Treasures of Middle-Earth category:Stonefoot Category:Second Age Category:Farthest East Category:Southeast Category:Priest Category:PC Category:MERP